Electronic devices, such as mobile communication devices, are often used to receive and store sensitive data. For example, such devices are often used in an enterprise environment where confidential information may be passed around between such devices. Device security is, therefore, often a concern for enterprise users.
Device security may also be an issue for non-enterprise users. For example, users who are using devices for personal use may wish to secure such devices so that unauthorized users, such as children for example, are unable to perform certain actions such as making telephone calls, making long distance telephone calls, accessing the Internet, and/or making purchases from the device.
Password-based protection has historically been used to prevent electronic devices from being used by an unauthorized user. Passwords are typically alpha-numeric strings or sequences that are input via a keyboard. Such protection is vulnerable to a number of attacks. For example, a password-guessing attack might be employed in order to gain unauthorized use of an electronic device. Unauthorized access may also be obtained in password protected environments when an unauthorized user observes entry of a password by an authorized user and makes note of the password.
In addition to the security concerns, password entry may also be time-consuming for a user since they are required to sequentially input a string whose security value increases with its length. As password length increases, the security of the password is improved, but the time required for input is also increased.
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